This study investigates the potential of preoperative MEG functional connectivity networks to predict the efficacy of vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) in patients with drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE). A total of 18 DRE patients and 18 healthy controls were enrolled. Resting-state MEG data were collected preoperatively, and brain network connectivity was assessed across seven frequency bands (δ, θ, α, β, γ, ripple, and fast ripple) using corrected amplitude envelope correlation (AEC-c). Network-based statistics (NBS) were employed to identify differences in connectivity patterns. Compared to healthy controls, DRE patients, particularly non-responders (NR-VNS), exhibited widespread abnormal functional connectivity, including significant increases in low-frequency bands and mixed alterations in mid-to-high frequency bands. Responders (R-VNS) showed marked normalization of brain connectivity, with reductions in differences from controls, especially within alpha and beta bands. These connectivity patterns were significantly associated with treatment outcomes, indicating their potential as predictive biomarkers. Preoperative brain network patterns derived from multi-frequency MEG, particularly in alpha and beta bands, hold promise for predicting VNS treatment response in DRE patients. The “health status” of the brain’s network prior to implantation appears to be a crucial factor influencing therapeutic efficacy.

Despite its exciting potential, chemical induction of pluripotency (CIP) efficiency remains low and the mechanisms are poorly understood. We report the development of an efficient two-step serum- and replating-free CIP protocol and the associated chromatin accessibility dynamics (CAD) by assay for transposase-accessible chromatin (ATAC)-seq. CIP reorganizes the somatic genome to an intermediate state that is resolved under 2iL condition by re-closing previously opened loci prior to pluripotency acquisition with gradual opening of loci enriched with motifs for the OCT/SOX/KLF families. Bromodeoxyuridine, a critical ingredient of CIP, is responsible for both closing and opening critical loci, at least in part by preventing the opening of loci enriched with motifs for the AP1 family and facilitating the opening of loci enriched with SOX/KLF/GATA motifs. These changes differ markedly from CAD observed during Yamanaka-factor-driven reprogramming. Our study provides insights into small-molecule-based reprogramming mechanisms and reorganization of nuclear architecture associated with cell-fate decisions.

OBJECTIVE:Epilepsy is associated with increased risk of excess mortality compared to the general population. Identifying causes of death is critical for guiding prevention strategies. Earlier studies in resource-limited settings suggested that accidental deaths were the main causes, but whether the mortality pattern has changed over time remains unclear. This study aimed to update the knowledge on mortality and causes of death of people with epilepsy in rural China. METHODS:In this nationwide cohort study, we analyzed data from the Epilepsy Prevention and Management Project in rural China between January 1, 2018, and December 31, 2020. Mortality outcomes included all-cause mortality, causes of death, and standardized mortality ratios (SMRs). Kaplan-Meier, multivariable Cox, and restricted cubic spline analyses were used to assess mortality risk and associated factors. RESULTS:Among 17 515 participants followed for 25 922 person-years, 381 deaths were recorded, yielding an all-cause mortality rate of 14.7 per 1000 person-years. The leading causes of death were circulatory system diseases (47.8%), including cerebrovascular disease (28.9%), and heart disease (18.9%). The all-cause SMR was 3.51 (95% confidence interval = 3.33-3.70). The highest cause-specific excess mortality was observed for brain malignancies (SMR = 20.30). Male sex, older age at epilepsy onset, longer disease duration, and higher baseline seizure frequency were independently associated with mortality. SIGNIFICANCE:People with epilepsy in rural China continue to experience substantial and potentially preventable excess mortality. As mortality patterns shift, prevention strategies should extend beyond seizure control and injury prevention to include vascular risk management and timely neuroimaging for suspected structural lesions. Prospective studies are needed to determine whether these strategies improve survival.

OBJECTIVES:Using wPLI-based phase synchronization, this study examined changes in EEG functional connectivity in patients with focal epilepsy before and after oxcarbazepine (OXC) monotherapy, with an emphasis on beta-band networks and treatment response. METHODS:Twenty-seven ASM-naive patients with focal epilepsy underwent resting-state 19-channel scalp EEG before OXC monotherapy and again after treatment, with 7-41 months between the two EEG recordings. Patients were classified by one-year clinical outcome as seizure-free (SF; n = 12) or non-seizure-free (NSF; n = 15). wPLI connectivity matrices were computed for δ-γ bands, and network-based statistics (NBS) was used for within-group and between-group comparisons. The exploratory post hoc strength of the NBS-identified beta subnetwork was summarized, and ANCOVA was performed controlling for baseline connectivity. RESULTS:NBS did not reveal significant global pre-post connectivity changes within either group (FWE-corrected p > 0.05). Post-treatment, SF patients showed significantly lower beta-band wPLI than NSF patients on edges F3-P8 and P4-P8 (NBS, p < 0.001). Beta subnetwork strength decreased after treatment in SF patients (p = 0.003) but not in NSF patients, and the reduction was larger in SF patients (p = 0.031). Baseline-adjusted ANCOVA confirmed a significant group effect (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS:Seizure-free patients receiving OXC exhibited selective beta-band desynchronization in long-range connections centered on P8. Beta-band subnetwork strength may serve as an exploratory EEG network marker for evaluating OXC treatment response in focal epilepsy.

Objective electroencephalography (EEG)-based biomarkers are needed to assess oxcarbazepine (OXC) response in patients with focal epilepsy. This study aimed to identify resting-state EEG biomarkers associated with oxcarbazepine efficacy in focal epilepsy using power spectral and functional connectivity analyses. In this retrospective cohort study, 27 drug-naïve patients with focal epilepsy underwent resting-state EEG before treatment and approximately 1 year after initiating OXC monotherapy. Nineteen 10–20 system electrodes were recorded at 256/512 Hz, and preprocessed (resampling, detrending, 50 Hz notch, 0.5–70 Hz band-pass, independent component analysis [ICA] artifact removal). Relative power spectral density (rPSD) was estimated via Welch’s method (5 s windows, 50

OBJECTIVE:This study investigates multifrequency resting-state neuromagnetic activity in children with self-limited epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (SeLECTS) and their exploratory associations with cognition and regional gene expression, aiming to elucidate potential neurophysiological mechanisms underlying cognitive vulnerability. METHODS:This study included 59 drug-naïve children with SeLECTS and 30 age-matched healthy controls (HC). All participants underwent magnetoencephalography (MEG) recordings across six frequency bands. Minimum norm estimation (MNE) combined with Welch's method was employed for spectral power calculation. Cognitive function was assessed using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-IV). Specific PSD and scale scores were analyzed by Spearman's analysis. Key biological processes and hub genes were identified through spatial transcriptomic mapping with the BrainSpan Atlas, combined with Gene Ontology (GO) and protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analyses. RESULTS:Compared with HC, children with SeLECTS showed enhanced theta and delta activity in specific cortical regions and networks, particularly in the frontoparietal control network (FPCN) and default mode network (DMN). In terms of cognitive performance, the SeLECTS group scored lower than the HC group across all subtests except for processing speed. Notably, FPCN theta PSD was positively correlated with full-scale IQ (FSIQ) in the SeLECTS group. Spatial transcriptomic analysis further demonstrated that these functionally aberrant brain regions were genetically defined by a highly interconnected molecular module. CONCLUSION:Spectral power analysis in SeLECTS reveals frequency- and network- specific alterations, which are associated with cognitive performance. Furthermore, the brain regions exhibiting this neurophysiological signature were genetically enriched for a cohesive module involved in mRNA splicing and metabolism.

Background: Migraine with aura (MwA) and migraine without aura (MwoA) are believed to have distinct pathophysiological mechanisms. However, differences in their neuromagnetic activity are currently unclear. To address this knowledge gap, this study employed magnetoencephalography (MEG) to examine alterations in magnetic source strength and functional connectivity (FC) between MwA and MwoA patients. Methods: Resting-state MEG data were recorded for 18 MwA and 18 MwoA patients during the interictal period and compared with 18 matched healthy controls (HCs). The spectral power and FC of the visual network were estimated using minimum norm estimation (MNE) combined with the Welch technique and corrected amplitude envelope correlation. Results: Spectral power analysis revealed distinct frequency-dependent alterations in MwA in the left lateral occipital cortex (LOC), bilateral lingual cortices, and right transverse temporal cortex within the theta band compared with the MwoA and HCs groups. FC analysis revealed a distinct pattern of weakened FC in MwA in the low-frequency band between the visual cortex and several key regions, including the right entorhinal cortex, right rostral anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), right superior parietal cortex (SPC), left precentral cortex, and right precuneus cortex compared with the MwoA and HCs groups. The MwoA group exhibited significantly stronger FC within the ACC-visual cortex circuit in the gamma1 band compared with the MwA and HCs groups. Several abnormal FC metrics were significantly correlated with headache attack frequency in both migraine groups. Conclusions: This study revealed the distinct neuromagnetic signatures of MwA and MwoA, linking specific connectivity patterns to clinical features. These findings could potentially support the development of subtype-specific, targeted neuromodulation therapies for migraine.

Pseudocontinuous arterial spin labeling (PCASL) is an innovative technique for measuring cerebral blood flow (CBF). The aim of this study was to investigate alterations in CBF and connectivity in anti-leucine-rich glioma-inactivated 1 autoimmune encephalitis (anti-LGI1-AE). CBF was analyzed in 27 acute anti-LGI1-AE patients and 81 healthy controls using arterial spin labeling. Regions with altered CBF were designated as regions of interest (ROIs)，followed by between-group CBF connectivity comparisons. Patients exhibited increased CBF in the bilateral putamen, bilateral amygdala (Amygdala_Bi), bilateral hippocampus (Hippocampus_Bi), bilateral parahippocampus, and right insula (Insula_R) (P = 0.001, cluster-level familywise error [FWE] corrected). The following regions showed decreased CBF connectivity (P < 0.05, FWE-corrected): the right hippocampus demonstrated decreased connectivity with the right superior temporal gyrus (STG_R), right Rolandic operculum (RO_R), right caudate nucleus (Caudate_R), right superior temporal pole (STP_R), right middle cingulate gyrus (MCG_R), and right anterior cingulate gyrus; the right amygdala displayed decreased connectivity with the STG_R, RO_R, STP_R, right putamen, Caudate_R, MCG_R, and right supplementary motor area; the Insula_R exhibited reduced connectivity with the right middle temporal gyrus and STG_R; the right parahippocampal gyrus presented weakened connectivity with the STP_R, RO_R, Insula_R, MCG_R, and left MTG; the left hippocampus showed decreased connectivity with the left STG and insula; the left parahippocampal gyrus manifested impaired connectivity with the left lingual gyrus and left precuneus. Increased CBF connectivity was observed between Amygdala_Bi and Hippocampus_Bi (P = 0.001, FWE-corrected). PCASL imaging revealed increased CBF in subcortical regions and widespread disruption of CBF connectivity in patients with anti-LGI1 AE, which may offer valuable insights into the neural mechanisms underlying the clinical manifestations of this condition.

Objective This study explores the whole-course neuromagnetic activity changes in childhood absence epilepsy (CAE) using multifrequency magnetoencephalogram (MEG) analysis. We aim to uncover the underlying neurophysiological mechanisms and identify functional signal targets with potential clinical applications. Methods We recruited 37 drug-naive children with CAE and collected magnetoencephalography (MEG) data from 62 seizures and interictal periods using a CTF-275 channel MEG system. The seizure course was segmented with temporal unification and subjected to dynamic frequency band analysis. Minimum norm estimation combined with Welch's method was employed for spectral power calculation, followed by correlation analysis between power and seizure duration. Results Whole-brain magnetic source power changes in 2-60Hz largely paralleled the progression of spike and wave discharges (SWDs), while power in 60-90 Hz was suppressed during seizures. Alpha band (8-12 Hz) activity showed a prompt loss of occipital dominance at seizure onset, with concurrent elevation in frontal alpha activity. This frontal alpha dominance persisted throughout the ictal period and reverted to occipital dominance at termination. Beta and gamma1 band (15-59 Hz) activity characteristically declined before SWDs cessation. The power of SWDs during ictal period was negatively correlated with seizure duration. Conclusion Spectral power analysis of neuromagnetic signals throughout CAE process identifies specific frequency-dependent characteristic changes, among which, the distribution of alpha band (8-12 Hz) activity is closely related to absence manifestations, beta band (15-29Hz) power decline induces seizure termination. Additionally, ictal SWDs power can serve as a neuroimaging indicator of epilepsy severity.

Elephant grass (Cenchrus purpureus) is a high-yield perennial warm-season energy plant and forage grass. However, when cultivated in cold regions, elephant grass shows poor cold tolerance and low winter survival rates, with its root system playing a crucial role in overwintering, though the molecular mechanisms underlying this cold tolerance are still unclear. In this study, we investigated the molecular mechanisms of elephant grass under low-temperature stress using Tandem Mass Tags (TMT) technology to characterize proteome changes. We found that cold stress led to the differential expression of 341 proteins in 'Chuanyu No.1' elephant grass. In the roots of elephant grass, cold stress increased the expression of peroxidases involved in lignin biosynthesis, sucrose synthase and raffinose synthase involved in raffinose synthesis, as well as trehalose-6-phosphate phosphatase involved in trehalose biosynthesis. This favored the accumulation of lignin, raffinose and trehalose, enhancing cold tolerance. Moreover, exogenous application of trehalose enhanced cold tolerance in elephant grass by increasing the activities of CAT and POD. Additionally, 'Chuanyu No.1' resisted cold stress by increasing glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase in glycolysis and F-ATP protein in oxidative phosphorylation, enhancing energy synthesis. This study provides a theoretical basis for understanding root response to cold stress and points out that further research on forage grass tolerance mechanisms is needed.

OBJECTIVE:To characterize functional network abnormalities in patients with anti-leucine-rich glioma-inactivated 1 (LGI1) encephalitis using electroencephalogram (EEG) recordings. METHODS:Eleven patients and eleven controls calculated relative power spectral density (PSD) and underwent functional connectivity analysis using corrected amplitude envelope correlation (AEC-c). Amplitude envelopes were extracted across five frequency bands, and network topology was analyzed by node strength. Phase-amplitude coupling (PAC) assessed cross-frequency interactions. RESULTS:Patients showed significantly increased delta band power and decreased alpha band power (both p < 0.001). AEC-c analysis revealed reduced functional connectivity in delta (p = 0.0396) and gamma bands (p = 0.001), with delta band connectivity weakened between occipital and frontotemporal regions and gamma connectivity broadly diminished. No significant differences in node strength were observed. PAC analysis showed enhanced coupling in the frontal, parietal, temporal, and occipital regions (all p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS:Patients with anti-LGI1 encephalitis show increased delta and reduced alpha power, with decreased delta and gamma connectivity, while global network connectivity may remain partially stable, potentially supported by delta-gamma coupling. SIGNIFICANCE:This study highlights altered power, network abnormalities, and enhanced coupling in anti-LGI1 encephalitis, offering new insights into its pathophysiology.

Objectives Childhood Absence Epilepsy (CAE) and Self-Limited Epilepsy with Centrotemporal Spikes (SeLECTS) are common, clinically associated syndromes, yet their shared and distinct pathophysiological mechanisms remain unclear. This study aimed to systematically compare interictal resting-state neuromagnetic networks among drug-naive children with CAE, SeLECTS, and healthy controls (HC) to identify common and syndrome-specific neurophysiological signatures. Methods We recruited 51 drug-naive CAE patients, 50 SeLECTS patients, and 30 age- and sex-matched HC. We analyzed 30-second epochs of interictal epileptiform discharge (IED)-free resting-state magnetoencephalography (MEG) data. Source-level spectral power and functional connectivity (corrected amplitude envelope correlation, AEC-c) were computed across six frequency bands (delta to high-gamma). Group differences were assessed using Network-Based Statistics (NBS) and cluster-based permutation test. Results Both epilepsy groups, compared to HCs, exhibited a shared pattern of pathological brain 'slowing': significantly increased low-frequency (delta) power and decreased high-frequency (alpha, beta, gamma) power. At the network level, this was mirrored by alpha-band hyperconnectivity and gamma-band hypoconnectivity. Crucially, syndrome-specific patterns emerged. CAE was characterized by global network dysregulation, with widespread delta/theta hyperconnectivity and a profound reduction in parieto-occipital alpha power. In contrast, SeLECTS displayed features of focal origin with widespread impact, including extreme low-to-mid frequency (delta-to-alpha) hyperconnectivity across distinct subnetworks and a widespread decrease in high-frequency (beta to gamma) power, most prominent in the temporal lobes. Significance This study provides the first direct neuromagnetic comparison of drug-naive CAE and SeLECTS. While a shared signature of pathological brain slowing suggests a common substrate of network instability, their distinct patterns of network dysfunction—global dysregulation in CAE versus focal-origin hyperconnectivity and widespread high-frequency power collapse in SeLECTS—elucidate divergent pathophysiological mechanisms. These syndrome-specific neuromagnetic features hold potential as non-invasive biomarkers for differential diagnosis and therapeutic monitoring.

With the intensification of global warming, there is an urgent need to develop crops with enhanced heat tolerance. Pearl millet, as a typical C4 heat-tolerant crop, has mechanisms of heat tolerance at the cellular level which remain unclear. Constructed single-cell transcriptomic landscape of pearl millet leaves under heat stress and normal conditions, comprising 20 589 high-quality cells classified into five cell types. Vascular tissue cells were identified as the most critical cell type under heat stress, characterized by the highest number of differentially expressed genes and heat stress memory genes. Through single-cell WGCNA analysis combined with phenotypic and physiological analysis of heat stress memory gene UGT73C3 mutants and overexpression lines, we revealed the important role of heat stress memory genes in enhancing heat tolerance by promoting the clearance of reactive oxygen species accumulation. Our study provides a heat-tolerant crop leaf atlas revealing insights into heat tolerance and laying a foundation for generating more robust crops under the changing climate.

PURPOSE:To provide consensus-based recommendations for the use of sodium channel blockers (SCBs) in the management of focal epilepsy. METHODS:A three-round modified Delphi procedure was conducted among a Delphi panel of 24 Chinese experts to build a consensus. A steering committee developed 9 statements related to SCBs for the treatment of focal epilepsy, and these statements were evaluated and voted upon by the expert panel. RESULTS:The expert panel achieved consensus on nine statements regarding the treatment recommendations for oxcarbazepine, lamotrigine, lacosamide, eslicarbazepine, topiramate, zonisamide and cenobamate in focal epilepsy patients and treatment adjustments for SCBs. CONCLUSION:This is a Chinese expert consensus on the use of SCBs in focal epilepsy developed using the modified Delphi method. These recommendations can help clinicians in their practice and guide future research.

This study aimed to elucidate the distributions of abnormal activities, as well as the functional connectivity and topological properties of brain networks, in patients diagnosed with anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) encephalitis. From February 2016 to February 2025, acute-phase magnetoencephalography (MEG) data were successfully acquired from 16 patients diagnosed with anti-NMDAR encephalitis at the Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University. MEG was employed to evaluate the power spectral density (PSD) across multiple frequency bands. Further analysis concentrated on functional connectivity and the topological characteristics of brain networks in order to identify distinctive neurophysiological features associated with the condition. During the acute phase, the PSD in the delta band (1–3 Hz) showed greater power in posterior regions and lower power in anterior regions, with the highest energy concentrated bilaterally in the occipitoparietal and temporal areas. In the theta band (5–7 Hz), the PSD was predominantly localized to the bilateral occipitoparietal regions. The beta1 band (13–20 Hz) was primarily distributed in the right temporo-occipitoparietal regions, while the beta2 band (20–30 Hz) was predominantly distributed in the left temporal, occipitoparietal, and certain frontal regions. Functional connectivity analysis revealed enhanced connections between the left caudal anterior cingulate (CAC_L) and the left superior parietal lobe in the delta and theta bands. Increased connectivity was also observed between the left frontal pole and Precuneus_L, CAC_L, and the left superior temporal gyrus (STG_L)in the theta and beta2 bands. Furthermore, enhanced connectivity between STG_L and Pericalcarine_R was observed in the theta, beta2, and gamma bands. Patients with anti-NMDAR encephalitis demonstrated significantly reduced global efficiency and notable increases in average path length, local efficiency, and clustering coefficient in multiple bands, suggesting local clustering of brain networks during the acute phase. Alterations in PSD distribution and brain networks across different frequency bands may provide valuable insights into the electrophysiological changes observed in the brains of anti-NMDAR encephalitis patients. Furthermore, these findings may offer valuable mechanistic insights that could contribute to the development of future diagnostic strategies.

Elephant grass (Cenchrus purpureus) is a significant perennial energy and forage plant, characterized by high biomass, low nutrient needs, and resilience to adverse conditions. However, its sensitivity to cold limits its yield and utilization in agriculture. Understanding the cold stress responses of elephant grass is crucial for breeding cold-tolerant varieties. To investigate this, a multi-temporal transcriptome analysis was conducted, revealing that approximately 1,480, 4,949, 8,433, and 9,005 genes were differentially expressed after cold treatments for 3, 6, 12, and 24 h, respectively. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were significantly enriched in pathways related to plant hormone signaling, MAPK signaling, and arginine and proline metabolism. KEGG enrichment analysis indicated that these pathways play a vital role in the cold stress response of elephant grass roots. Several transcription factors (TFs), including MYB, NAC, WRKY, bHLH, bZIP, and AP2/ERF, were also implicated, with five MYB, four AP2/ERF, four Dof, three bHLH, two NAC, and two C2H2 TFs significantly up-regulated during cold stress. Additionally, genes encoding antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT, GPX, APX, GST) and those involved in the synthesis of putrescine (ADC) and proline (P5CS) contributed to the cold stress response. This study provides valuable insights into transcriptome networks and potential gene resources for breeding cold-tolerant elephant grass.

BackgroundMigraine is a chronic neurological disorder associated with a variety of abnormal visual symptoms. However, the mechanisms of visual processing in migraine are not fully understood. This study aimed to investigate neuromagnetic activity abnormalities under visual stimuli in migraine patients using magnetoencephalography (MEG).MethodsMagnetoencephalography recordings during exposure to visual stimuli were collected for 22 episodic migraine patients without aura during the interictal period and 22 age- and gender-matched healthy controls (HCs). The spectral power and functional connectivity (FC) of visual neuromagnetic activation were estimated using minimum norm estimation combined with the Welch technique and corrected amplitude envelope correlation.ResultsCompared to HCs, migraineurs exhibited attenuated spectral power in the gamma2 band of the bilateral medial orbitofrontal cortices, bilateral posterior cingulate cortices, bilateral temporal poles, right lateral orbitofrontal cortex, and left transverse temporal cortex. Migraineurs also exhibited the following increases in FC relative to HCs between vision- and pain-related brain regions: In the alpha band, FC between the left cuneus and left medial orbitofrontal cortex was significantly increased. In the beta band, FC between the left lateral occipital cortex and bilateral anterior cingulate cortices was significantly increased. In the gamma1 band, FC of the right cuneus with the bilateral insulae, left parahippocampal cortex, bilateral posterior central cortices, and bilateral anterior cingulate cortices was significantly increased. Migraineurs also showed significantly increased FC between the left lateral occipital cortex and the right medial orbitofrontal cortex, left posterior central cortex, and bilateral anterior cingulate cortices. The clinical variables (headache history, attack frequency, and pain intensity) had no significant correlation with MEG results.ConclusionTaken together, these findings demonstrate altered spectral power in pain-processing regions and altered FC between vision and pain-related regions in migraineurs under visual stimuli in multi-frequencies. These results may contribute to understanding the relationship between visual dysfunction and headache onset in migraineurs, providing valuable insights into the underlying pathophysiology.

OBJECTIVE:This was an exploratory study designed to examine the alterations in neuromagnetic networks within brain regions involved in cognitive functions in children with self-limited epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (SeLECTS). Additionally, it sought to explore the relationship between these neural network differences and cognitive impairment. METHODS:Magnetoencephalography (MEG) data were collected from 63 drug-naïve children diagnosed with SeLECTS and 30 healthy controls (HC). Functional connectivity (FC) across 26 cognitive-related brain regions, as defined by Desikan-Killiany, was assessed using corrected amplitude envelope correlation (AEC-c) analysis. The cognitive function of the children was evaluated using the fourth edition of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-IV). Spearman's correlation analysis was then performed to assess the relationship between AEC-c values and WISC-IV indices. RESULTS:Children with SeLECTS showed reduced FC in the delta band between the left rostral middle frontal (rMFG.L) and the left rostral anterior cingulate (rACC.L), as well as in the gamma2 band between the left superior frontal (SFG.L) and the rACC on both sides, compared to HC (p < 0.05). On the other hand, several FC networks were enhanced, including those between the left rMFG and the right rACC, the left rMFG and the left caudal middle frontal (CMF.L), and between the right caudal middle frontal (CMF.R) and the right supramarginal (SMG.R), specifically in the gamma1 band (p < 0.05). A correlation analysis revealed a positive association between the AEC-c values between the left rMFG and the right rACC and the Verbal Comprehension Index (VCI) scores (R = 0.4228, p < 0.05). SIGNIFICANCE:The findings of this study revealed that children with SeLECTS exhibited significant differences in the FC networks in brain regions associated with cognition, especially within the delta and gamma frequency bands, when compared to HC. We also found that these differences in FC networks are significantly correlated with verbal comprehension ability, which may contribute to the understanding of the mechanisms underlying the weaknesses in cognitive function in children with SeLECTS. Furthermore, our findings may provide hypotheses for future work dedicated to further exploring the mechanisms associated with brain network alterations in cognitive impairment in children with SeLECTS. PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY:Based on magnetoencephalography technology (MEG), this study found that there were significant differences in cognitive-related neuromagnetic networks in children with SeLECTS compared with HC, which were significantly correlated with relevant indicators in the Wechsler Scale. This finding suggested that differences in the neuromagnetic network may serve as imaging markers to predict changes in cognitive function in children with SeLECTS.

This study aimed to characterize frequency- and latency-dependent network dysregulation in migraine using magnetoencephalography (MEG)-based static and dynamic functional connectivity analyses during auditory stimulation. Thirty interictal migraine patients and 30 matched healthy controls underwent whole-head MEG recordings during a lateralized auditory task. Static and dynamic functional connectivities were calculated using the corrected amplitude envelope correlation in seven canonical frequency bands (delta 2-120 Hz). Group differences were examined using nonparametric permutation tests, with false discovery rate and Bonferroni correction applied to account for multiple comparisons. Static functional connectivity abnormalities were confined to high-frequency bands (low-gamma, 30-59 Hz; high-gamma, 60-90 Hz; and ripple, 90-120 Hz), showing enhanced frontal-limbic and cross-hemispheric connectivity in migraine patients (Cohen's d = 1.05-1.37). Low-frequency bands showed no significant differences. Dynamic functional connectivity revealed rapid, frequency-specific abnormalities: early (25-50 ms) gamma/ripple hyperconnectivity and late delta/beta alterations, with hemispheric asymmetry. Thus, migraine is characterized by high-frequency oscillatory imbalance during auditory processing, with both persistent (static) and transient (dynamic) network disruptions concentrated in gamma/ripple bands, consistent with impaired predictive coding and sensory hypersensitivity.

Many species in the genera Pennisetum and Cenchrus are utilized as biofuel feedstocks due to their high biomass yield and lignocellulosic content. However, some species possess two Latin names and are used confusingly in practical production and research reports, indicating a dispute regarding the true taxonomic affiliation of these species with the two genera. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate the genetic evolutionary relationships of multiple species within the two genera to assess the degree of differentiation. The chloroplast (cp) genome, as a crucial genetic resource, provides us with the opportunity to uncover the genetic evolutionary relationships of species within the two genera. We conducted a comprehensive examination and comparative analysis of the 33 cp genomes from Pennisetum and Cenchrus species, including 12 newly assembled and annotated cp genomes. The results indicated a high degree of conservation among the 33 cp genomes in terms of genome structure, gene number, gene types, inverted repeat (IR) boundary features, and codon usage frequency. Comparative genomic analysis revealed a higher level of differentiation in the single copy regions compared to the IR regions. Phylogenetic analysis revealed mixed clustering of species in both genera without obvious genus-level differentiation, indicating their close evolutionary relationship. In summary, we comprehensively reveal the cp genomic features of 33 species within two genera, and conduct multi-scale comparative genomic analysis. These findings represent a significant supplementation to the plastid genome of the Pennisetum and Cenchrus species, providing new insights into the phylogeny and genetic evolutionary relationships of these two genera.